Soulseer ✔️ *COMPLETE*

Chapter Twelve

"Don't worry, Nov-... Luca," Galina says, snapping her fan closed, "this will go well. Probably."

Fantastic. There's a fifty percent chance that I'm going to die or something worse. But apparently Galina is an optimist. The glass is half full for her. I note that perspective for future endeavours.

The voices of the crowd drop as we approach. Without turning, Maia holds out a hand towards me.

"And her name is Luca," Maia says in that golden contralto. In this moment her voice is laced with iron, too. She sets her hand on my shoulder and a wing of her soul unfolds protectively behind me. "She will join our Noviciates class. Immediately. Despite being ... behind in certain skills, everyone will endeavour to bring her up to entry levels. This is not open for debate. Galina has foreseen that Luca MUST be trained here. And so it shall be."

Several mouths open to argue. I'm clearly not the only one pissed off at my training being fast-tracked.

But one voice breaks through the swarm. It is deep and soft, the reedy tones of an old man and it rises from low in the back of the crowd. But his voice calling for calm hushes all others.

There is a fresh murmuring and a turning of heads. I'm just tall enough to see the group splitting in the back but not tall enough to see why. The division ripples towards the front of the crowd of forty or so Seers until a wrinkled little raisin of a man in a wheelchair is spit out. He's not just old - he must be 100 at least. And given the wheelchair and the watery blind eyes, he's physically frail. But his soul is something else. The power radiates from it like a tangible force, hovering behind him like a bodyguard, tall, strong and alert. The crowd goes quiet. Pin drop silent.

The old man in the chair turns his face and his soul pivots likewise.

"Maia, my dear. I See you have our new student." There is a hint of a Kenyan accent layering his English. Now his head swivels to me. "Welcome, Luca. I am Seer Adamu. I have the honour of overseeing Circus. I expect you'll take the day to claim rooms and get your bearings. Lessons will occur as usual for all other students this afternoon. No exceptions." He smiles calmly and sets his hands to the wheels. "Anyone not participating in the instruction will have other tasks at hand. Should someone find themselves with available time, please see me. I have a long list of maintenance duties that I would be most pleased to delegate." This is settled for him.

But not for a short woman in a well-worn "Hang Loose" T-shirt who looks to be roughly my age. Her soul writhes behind her, in contrast to the stillness of her brown limbs. She is definitely not exemplifying the chill Hawaiian vibes portrayed on her shirt.

"Seer Adamu! While we were in Hopi Borough, Mohsin was almost killed by the arrival of this ... Noviciate! She needs -"

One weathered dark brown hand is raised and the young woman stops mid-sentence.

"She needs to begin her training, Ximena. Thanks to your quick thinking - and also to your own training - Mohsin is no worse for wear and may indeed apply himself with greater diligence to his lessons to ensure such events don't occur again," Seer Adamu says with a hint of a kind smile.

"But Seer -" Ximena begins.

He can't weight more than 120 pounds and sitting in his chair he's waist high at most but when his soul expands behind him, several people cower.

"Enough!" he says in tones of dark steel. Ximena stands her ground but drops her eyes. "This morning's event has little if anything to do with Luca. In fact, if there is any connection to be drawn between Hopi Borough and Luca it is that she must be trained as quickly as possible." Adamu uses wiry strong arms to spin his chair to face the crowd he just rolled through.